Vacationing in the Keys ?

[mphatc]

My wife suddenly has a week for vacation, a rare opportunity for her at a time of year when we can both get away . .

We've discussed going to the Keys for a week several times and would like to find "thru the grapevine" the ideal place to stay.
Possibly somewhere that can offer fishing :shark:and possibly boats to rent, desireably a sailboat for day or two . .:boat: I doubt anyone rents small offshore boats or a Donzi

any and all suggestions and commnets welcome . . this is not a place we've ever been, and time is short as vacation time is the first week of November . .

Help!
Mario

[gcarter]

Elaine, myself and her family have rented several times at Ocean Pointe
http://www.opsuites.com/ .
It's on Tavernier near Largo so it's not so far from the mainland that prices like gas are not astronomical. We never rented a boat because we always took one. It's very nice, and reasonable this time of the year. Key West is just over one hour away.

[vonkamp]

The "Duval crawl" is a must...

There was a backcountry tour we took out of Stock Island (near KW). An all day trip on a catamaran loaded kayaks headed for the Snipe Keys in florida bay for a few hours of Kayaking thru the mangrove islands. Lunch, some snorkeling and Champagne toast to the sunset. It was a great time. When I get home, I'll find the name of the outfit. Hopefully they are still around.

[vonkamp]

There is this place on Key Largo that does kayak rentals and tours. My wife and I visited in 2004 with the idea that we might buy the business. A great place and right on the water (also next to the famed Casablanca from the movie Key Largo). We did not buy and they still own the biz.
Their site http://www.kayakfloridakeys.com/

I would love to own a biz like this but with the location and insurance (or lack thereof) makes it quite a risk.

Oh yea...A restaurant that is a must do http://www.nonamepub.com/menu.html

[BUIZILLA]

my sis in law lives right down the block from them, they paddle by her house almost every day... great group

[mrfixxall]

Islemarida Is For The Younger Crowd, Marathon Is For The Fisherman And Key West Is Ofr The Wild People..

[Lenny]

and Key West is for the "wild" people

Really ??? :D

[mrfixxall]

Really ??? :D

OK SMART AZZ YOU KNOW,,,,BEEN THEIR DONE THAT:wink:

SORRY I HAVNT GOT THE PICS OF THAT MAGNUM YET!!! EVERYTHING IS UNDER 4 FEET OF WATER AT THE LAKE AND THEY CLOSED EVERYTHING DOWN..THEIR WAITING A FEW MORE WEEKS AND MABE BOATING WILL START AGAIN..

[BERTRAM BOY]

Really ??? :D

Lenny, You've been to Key West?

[DonCig]

Lenny, You've been to Key West?

He is Key West.....................LOL

[BUIZILLA]

Lenny, You've been to Key West? physically...
yes.....

mentally....

no

[Barry Eller]

Have they torn down the Holiday Isle Resort yet?
My wife and I love that funky old place...
http://www.holidayisle.com/map.html
The photo is from their brochure...

[DonziChick]

Key West Is Ofr The Wild People..


:D I wouldn't know anything about the Duval crawl :eek!:

Irish Kevin's and Capt Tony's are must do in Key West.


I believe Holiday Isle has already closed but I'm not certain if it's torn down or not. That's a shame. They had a great view, food wasn't bad and their key lime coladas were great!

Once place I'd suggest eating at is Key Fisheries. All of their seafood is straight off the boat. They have a lobster rubuen that is outstanding and I don't even like saurkraut.

I'm not sure about a place to stay. I always stay with my boyfriend and his parents near Marathon (Sunshine Key)

[fegettes]

Have they torn down the Holiday Isle Resort yet?


No, not any time soon.

I will be there Sunday and at the Sand Bar for the Adventure.

Steve

[Barry Eller]

No, not any time soon.
I will be there Sunday and at the Sand Bar for the Adventure.
Steve


Drink a RumRunner for me!

[Cuda]

In my younger days, we used to leave with a bunch of us guys, and always stayed on Marathon. I still prefer it to any other key. It's only 45 minutes to KW and Duval Street.

Catch 22, what's the key where you and Gina had the shrimp pizza that was off the chain? :)

[Cuda]

Btw, Catch would be the resident Keys expert. He drives it every day for work.

[catch 22]

I do visit the Keys 3 to 4 times a week working, but I don't get to stop at many of the fine drinking establishments along the way. From past experiences the Sundowner in Key Largo has great food and a place to dock a boat. I think it's mm 104 or 105 on the Gulf side. We did a run from Miami to Key Largo a couple of yrs back in the boats. Islamorada of course has Holiday Isles (Tiki Bar) mm 85 or 86 has great conch fritters and blackened flipper. Islamorada Fish Company and the Green Turtle. Theres several very good restaurants in Islamorada . Marathon you have the Wooden Spoon and Stouts for Breakfast and Herbies for lunch or dinner. I think but not for sure the Blue Marlin on the Gulf side mm 49 and last but not least the 7 Mile Grill at the south end of Marathon. Big Pine Key you must try The No Name Pub. They have the best Shrimp pizza & conch fritters. It's a little hard to find but well worth it. Key West of course you must do the Duval Crawl and after that all the food tastes great. As far as places to stay. It's been awhile but the Inn at Key West was redone about 2yrs ago. It was about a year ago we stayed there. Very nice. Great pool. I haven't stayed anywhere else so this is the best I can come up with. I see your going to be down the first week of November, you will just miss Fantasy Fest in KW as that happens the last week in October. Wild and Crazy. Hope this helps a little bit. Have fun, Jim

[fegettes]

Jim, those are some great places to eat. I have been here in Homestead for two years,experienced these restaurants, and am still learning my way around, and it has been fun too.

Mario, I am not sure where you are targeting to stay. I found some boat rentals that you can check some prices.

http://www.boatsnowrentals.com/

http://www.boatrentalskeys.com/

http://www.progearboatrentals.com/home.html

http://www.captainpips.com/boats.htm

http://www.raysboatrentals.com/rates.htm

http://www.keysboatrental.com/

I have a friend I work with and some times on the weekend he will decide to go rent a boat for a day, or half of a day, and rents from the locals in the Key Largo area, maybe out of the paper, and never has any problems getting a boat, and gets a decent price. So, keep in mind they are there and available.

When I check for rooms down in the Keys, I always seem to start with: kayak.com.

If you are interested in a place in Key West, I have some numbers I also use.

800-573-6386 Key West Hotels

800-284-4482 Key West Welcom Center

305-292-5177 Accomodations Hotline

800-527-8539 Chamber of Commerce

I wanted to take my boat down to Key West one weekend, and the most difficult thing to do was to find a hotel that would except boat parking. I could not find any. The Chamber of Commerce found a Condo, and major bonus points because it was on the water, that would except my boat trailer to be parked over night.

Keep in mind that there are events that may be going on if you want to stay in Key West, and this will make rooms scarce and the price will double and triple depending on the event. There will be APBA races from November 4th thru the 11th, which is always fun to see, just challenging to get a room at a decent price. Key West is a blast, and there is so much to see and do. I am always looking for an excuse to go down there. Marathon Key is a central Key and the largest Key and there are good accomodations there, boat rentals, great restaurants, deep sea fishing boats, and only 45 miles away from Key West, and not a bad place to stay at all. Hint: There are very few places along the Keys where the speed limit will seldom get above 45 MPH, so you might want to watch your speed as well.

I hope this helps.

Steve

[mrfixxall]

mario,,fly on down and rent a motor home,,theirs always a campgroung with open spots:wink:

[gcarter]

mario,,fly on down and rent a motor home,,theirs always a campgroung with open spots:wink:
Campgrounds in the Keys can cost more than a hotel.

[justleft]

When we would run the outside between Miami and KW we would
stop for fuel and a burger at Smugglers Cove on Islamorada.

It was a cool little place but I've heard it went down hill.
But recently someone told me they renovated it.

[vonkamp]

Cool looking toy hauler. Someone needs to build one that spits a Donzi out the back though... :yes: :bonk:

[RedDog]

Fly into Miamuh, we'll pick you up at the airport and take you to Phil Petersons Harley Davidson (http://www.harleymiami.com/custompage.asp?pg=rentals) to get your motorcycle (s), and then help you load it into one of our rental motor-homes for your trip to the Keys.. Camp grounds down there are not the cheapest in the world no doubt, but the views are pretty awesome...


Wow! What are the daily / weekly rates on the "Fun Mover?"

[florida gator]

Have they torn down the Holiday Isle Resort yet?
My wife and I love that funky old place...
http://www.holidayisle.com/map.html
The photo is from their brochure...

Plans were put on hold when the real estate market took a crap. I planned a bachelor party trip for a buddy back in Feb and when dealing with the girl in group sales she mentioned they just gave her the ok to book through the end of 2007.

[smokediver]

i kinda like staying at the kon-tiki .. around mm 83 i think ... it is a bunch of timeshares that are available on a daily basis... they have a boatramp and it is close to a lot of cool stuff ... it is on the gulf side ... haven't been there in years though.

[mrfixxall]

Fly into Miamuh, we'll pick you up at the airport and take you to Phil Petersons Harley Davidson (http://www.harleymiami.com/custompage.asp?pg=rentals) to get your motorcycle (s), and then help you load it into one of our rental motor-homes for your trip to the Keys.. Camp grounds down there are not the cheapest in the world no doubt, but the views are pretty awesome...


poodle do you know mike that works in sales at petersons hd?